Noise Management Research Articles

Study of the Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality in Romanian Schools through an Extensive Experimental Campaign

Decentralized ventilation systems in schools are becoming more important due to the focus on indoor air quality and energy economy. The research aims to explore how these technologies affect classroom air quality, thermal comfort, and noise. The study examined four decentralized ventilation systems in a real-world school using field measurements and data analysis. This included measuring the CO2, temperature, noise, and thermal comfort using the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index. All systems greatly improved the air quality, keeping CO2 levels within suggested limits. They failed to control indoor humidity, often lowering it to below optimal levels. Noise surpassed the 35 dB(A) criteria at maximum operation but was acceptable at lower airflows. Noise and air drafts did not bother residents. The study found that decentralized ventilation systems improve air quality and are easy to adapt to, although they need humidity control and noise management at higher operational levels.

Impact of Noise Pollution on Community Health and Well-Being in Lagos, Nigeria

This study examines the effects of noise pollution at various times of the day on residential, commercial, and industrial zones in Lagos, Nigeria. Different noise levels are shown by descriptive statistics; residential zones have moderate noise during the day, higher noise in the evening, and reduced noise at night. The noise levels in commercial and industrial zones are consistently greater, which highlights the difficulties that households experience. There is a discrepancy between measured and perceived noise levels, according to community perceptions impacted by cultural and local factors. In order to create a more sustainable and peaceful urban environment in Lagos, the study emphasizes the necessity of context-specific noise management techniques in urban planning and policy formulation.

Low-cost real-time environmental noise monitoring system design and implementation

ABSTRACT Environmental noise has a negative impact on human health and well-being. Real-time noise monitoring for effective noise control and management helps to identify noise sources and areas with high noise pollution, and potential mitigation strategies in urban planning. This paper reports work with a pilot scale system that can continuously collect noise data to assess noise levels accurately for real-time monitoring of environmental noise, focusing on hardware and software aspects and potential applications. The system permits the transfer of measurement data to the central server computer, with storage and display there, with the code written using Python. This system includes Web integration, with open source technologies to provide data access, and is based on Wi-Fi communication and a Control Card with Wi-Fi technology.

Automated noise source identification and respective level estimation on mixed-noise construction environments

Noise control on construction sites is essential to manage project risks including safety accidents, worker's health, and civil complaints. This paper presents two advanced Audio Spectrogram Transformer-based models to identify noise source types and estimate their respective noise levels on complex construction environments. The classification model first differentiated the noise sources from mixed noise. Receiving the classification results, the regression model then estimated their noise levels. Nine categories of on-site noise (i.e., six construction and three external noises) were collected, a total of 234.4-min audio files, and mixed randomly with different ratios for the validation purpose. As a result, the models successfully classified the noise sources with F1-score of 0.901 and estimated the respective noise levels with an average absolute error of 0.573 dB. This study is expected to clarify the contributors of the measured noise levels, enabling strategic noise management and sophisticated feedback from on-site noise data.

Aspects of Sustainability in a Family Agro-Ecological Property in the South of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Objective: To raise some aspects of sustainability in a family property, called Chácara das Camélias, located in the municipality of Arroio Grande, in the south of Rio Grande do Sul. Method: To monitor these aspects of sustainability, a questionnaire was applied with 94 questions addressing management control, waste management, odor control management, noise management, material management and objectives of the UN 2030 agenda, as well as using of interviews with the owners, in addition to the observational technique. Results and discussion: The results showed that the Farm has a notorious concern for the environment, but it must be taken into account that there is still much to be done and that improvements can be implemented. Research implications: This research seeks to contribute to the preservation of the environment, practicing a cleaner form of production, taking into account natural processes, agroecology practices, animal welfare, job and income generation, as well as change of people's culture in relation to food and the empowerment of families in social vulnerability, with regard to food sovereignty. Originality/value: Contribute to the enrichment and dissemination of information that encourage sustainability in the agroecological environment.

Noise exposure among staff in intensive care units and the effects of unit-based noise management: a monocentric prospective longitudinal study

BackgroundIntensive care units (ICUs) are often too noisy, exceeding 70–80 dBA, which can have negative effects on staff. The corresponding recommendation of the World Health Organization (average sound pressure level below 35 dBA) is often not achieved. To date there is a lack of intervention studies examining the extent to which unit-based noise management in ICUs contributes to a reduction in noise exposure for the staff. The study therefore aims to provide answers to 1) how unit-based noise management sustainably reduces the subjective noise exposure among staff, and 2) how this intervention affects other noise-related topics.MethodsWe performed a monocentric prospective longitudinal study with three measurement points in a German university hospital in three ICUs. We collected data from different healthcare professionals and other professional groups between October 2021 and August 2022 using an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inference statistics.ResultsA total of n = 179 participants took part in the surveys. The majority of participants were nurses or pediatric nurses. Most participants worked more than 75% full-time equivalent. Staff on the three ICUs reported high levels of noise exposure. No significant changes in noise exposure over time were observed. Participants were already aware of the topic and believed that a behavior change could positively influence the noise environment.ConclusionsThis study provides an initial insight into how a unit-based noise management could contribute to a reduction in the subjective noise exposure among staff in ICUs. The results of this study highlight the importance of this topic. Future studies should aim to research aspects of adherence and their facilitators or barriers, which promote the sustained implementation of noise-reducing measures by staff.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00025835; Date of registration: 12.08.2021.

Planning for a quieter environment in Hong Kong: Construction Noise Management Plan

Daytime construction noise is one of the most annoying noise problems according to the findings of a household opinion survey in Hong Kong. Normally detail construction methods and equipment involved for a project are only available in the detail design stage and sometimes even after tendering of a construction contract. Early consideration on the use of quieter construction methods and equipment before tendering are essential to ensure such methods/equipment would be adopted and hence a new construction noise impact assessment approach is proposed. Under the new approach only qualitative assessment, which includes the identification of the key noisy activities and the commitment of adopting quieter construction method/equipment, would be carried out in the early planning stage and then followed by the submission of a Construction Noise Management Plan (CNMP) before tendering. The CNMP should include quantitative assessment and the particular specifications in construction contracts for adopting the quieter construction methods/equipment. To further assist the project proponents in preparing CNMP, a new web-based platform called Web-CNMP has also been developed. This paper will outline control and management of construction noise in Hong Kong, the rationale and details of this new approach, Web-CNMP and explain how they can improve the noise environment.

Prediction of wind turbine noise: Comparison of three standardized prediction methods

Noise from wind turbines seems to be relatively more annoying than noise from other sources. Yet wind turbines are considered important for the shift to renewable energy sources. In the planning process of new wind farms, it is important to accurately predict the noise impact on nearby communities in order to minimize noise conflicts. Noise from an existing 2 MW wind turbine has been measured in a number of positions under various wind conditions. The results have been compared with predictions using sound propagation modules according to ISO 9613-2, CnossosEU and Nord 2000. The work is part of the ongoing Polish-Norwegian research project HETMAN, Healthy Society towards optimal management of wind turbine noise. The actual results presented in this paper should therefore be considered preliminary.

Determination of road surface correction factors for CNOSSOS-EU in Ireland

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is a state agency in the Republic of Ireland. The primary function of TII is to provide an integrated approach to the future development and operation of the national roads network and light rail infrastructure throughout Ireland. TII are designated as the Noise Mapping Body (NMB) responsible for the development of strategic noise maps for all national roads carrying in excess of 3 million vehicles a year. Directive 2002/49/EC (commonly referred to as the Environment Noise Directive, 'the END') relates to the assessment and management of environmental noise. It is the main instrument of the European Union (EU) to quantify noise pollution levels, and trigger action within both Member States and at EU level. The END has the aim of establishing a common approach to the management of noise within the EU. Commission Directive (EU) 2015/996 established the common noise assessment methodology for Europe (CNOSSOS-EU). The CNOSSOS-EU road traffic noise emission model calculates rolling noise for different vehicle categories as a function of speed and frequency. The emission is initially calculated under reference conditions, then corrected for differing situations. For road surfaces which do not align with the reference surface, road surface correction factors should ideally be developed, otherwise a number of default values are provided within CNOSSOS-EU which are taken from the Dutch national noise assessment method, Rmg2012, and therefore contain only surfaces that are common in the Netherlands. For the implementation of CNOSSOS-EU in Ireland, a project was undertaken to develop road surface corrections for at least the three most common pavement types on the TII network with no direct match to the CNOSSOS-EU database. This paper will describe the measurements taken on Irish roads, the resulting road surface corrections, and our conclusions and recommendations for using the road surface corrections.

Analysis of the short-term noise situation around Bangkok International Airport prior to the second phase of airport expansion begins

Short-term noise measurements carried out around the Bangkok International Airport during 2014-2015 provided baseline datasets of noise levels to illustrate the overview of actual aircraft noise exposure to people living underneath the flight path. The datasets will be useful for social surveys to draw the dose-response relationship curve, validation of noise prediction studies, and noise management plans around the airport before the second phase expansion. This study proposes a post-processing tool for extracting aircraft noise events due to aircraft flyovers from the measurements. The actual noise exposure levels of aircraft fly-over noise events were reported to reflect the existing noise situation around the airport and contribute to the analysis of other studies conducted during the same period.

Advancements and Applications of Rim-Driven Fans in Aerial Vehicles: A Comprehensive Review

As the aviation industry seeks sustainable propulsion solutions, innovative technologies have emerged, among which rim-driven fan (RDF) systems hold notable promise. This comprehensive review paper deeply investigates RDF technology, uncovering its principles, benefits, and transformative potential for aviation propulsion. Amid escalating concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, the aviation sector’s shift towards electric propulsion has gained impetus. RDF technology has emerged as a beacon of optimism, heralding the prospect of energy-efficient and eco-conscious air travel. Navigating the slower development pace of RDF technology for aerospace applications, this paper draws insights from analogous marine technologies and relevant literature. Merging these realms, this paper meticulously examines RDF systems, spotlighting their unique attributes, with particular emphasis on the rim-driven configuration and its fundamental design principles. This review delves into the progressive strides accomplished in RDF’s evolution, encompassing the spectrum from evolving electric motor variants to intricate design considerations, strategic noise and vibration management, innovative control methodologies, advancements in bearing technology, and the strategic integration of finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for comprehensive performance optimization. In the context of aviation’s electrification journey, the exploration of RDF technology marks a pivotal inflection point. This paper concludes by succinctly encapsulating pivotal insights, accentuating RDF technology’s central role in reshaping aviation’s propulsion paradigm. As the aviation sector charts a course towards sustainable progress, the lessons gleaned from RDF technology are poised to chart the trajectory of aviation’s environmental transformation.

Assessing the Usefulness of Mobile Apps for Noise Management in Occupational Health and Safety: Quantitative Measurement and Expert Elicitation Study.

Overexposure to occupational noise can lead to hearing loss. Occupational noise mapping is conventionally performed with a calibrated sound level meter (SLM). With the rise of mobile apps, there is a growing number of SLM apps available on mobile phones. However, few studies have evaluated such apps for accuracy and usefulness to guide those with occupational noise detection needs in selecting a quality app. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of SLM mobile apps to guide workplace health and safety professionals in determining these apps' suitability for assessing occupational noise exposure. The following three iOS apps were assessed: the NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Sound Level Meter, Decibel X, and SoundMeter X apps. The selected apps were evaluated for their accuracy in measuring sound levels in low-, moderate-, and high-noise settings within both simulated environments and real-world environments by comparing them to a conventional SLM. The usefulness of the apps was then assessed by occupational health specialists using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). The NIOSH Sound Level Meter app accurately measured noise across a range of sound levels in both simulated settings and real-world settings. However, considerable variation was observed between readings. In comparison, the Decibel X and SoundMeter X apps showed more consistent readings but consistently underestimated noise levels, suggesting that they may pose a risk for workers. Nevertheless, none of the differences in sound measurements between the three apps and the conventional SLM were statistically significant (NIOSH Sound Level Meter: P=.78; Decibel X: P=.38; SoundMeter X: P=.40). The MARS scores for the three apps were all above 3.0, indicating the usefulness of these apps. Under the conditions of this study, the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app had equivalent accuracy to the calibrated SLM and a degree of usefulness according to the MARS. This suggests that the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app may be suitable for mapping noise levels as part of a monitoring strategy in workplaces. However, it is important to understand its limitations. Mobile apps should complement but not replace conventional SLMs when trying to assess occupational noise exposure risk. Our outcomes also suggest that the MARS tool may have limited applicability to measurement-based apps and may be more suited to information-based apps that collect, record, and store information.

Coal mining noise in Australia

Noise pollution in open-cut coal mines in NSW is of great concern and affects large numbers of local communities. The management of noise from coal mines has evolved considerably over the last 30 years, in part due to the significant improvement in mobile fleet sound power levels due to new technology and leading practice noise attenuation components. The mining industry in Australia has also developed an innovative way of managing environmental noise driven by the use of proactive noise management systems. Most large open-cut mining operators in NSW have in recent years adopted and successfully implemented proactive noise management systems to assist with managing noise levels during periods of noise-enhancing meteorological conditions. The system allows the mine operator to prepare and adjust operations to reduce noise levels as far as reasonably and feasibly practical in the event anticipated adverse meteorological conditions are experienced. This paper describes the evolution of the regulatory process, the industry response and the key factors that have shaped the changes.

Managing noise and vibration on mega projects in Australia

The last decade has seen the emergence of the mega project in Australia, including Sydney Metro, WestConnex, Western Sydney Airport, Cross River Rail, Melbourne Metro, and North East Link Project. These projects provide challenges in the management of noise and vibration due to site constraints, proximity to sensitive receivers and condensed project timelines. While the environmental noise and vibration regulation of these projects can differ from state to state, the design process remains largely the same. This paper looks at noise and vibration design and management on some of Australia’s biggest infrastructure projects. Design considerations include physical mitigation measures such as acoustics sheds, noise barriers, temporary noise barriers or enclosures, and ventilation mitigation. Management measures and development of ongoing management tools are described. Finally, this paper reflects upon the overall noise and vibration outcomes in terms of impacts on the affected communities compared with cost of mitigation.

Managing noise from port operations via the use of automated noise monitoring systems

Ports are key pieces of infrastructure that enable the transportation of goods and passengers. Bays Port, Sydney NSW is located in close proximity to communities and balances the increased demand for Port facilities and services with community expectations, environmental requirements and regulatory approvals. For noise generated from Port activities at Bays Port, historically, individual port users have been required to monitor and evaluate noise under different environmental requirements and planning approvals, which can lead to inconsistent reporting, noise limits and regulation between operators and a lack of clarity for the community. Port Authority of NSW has implemented a first of its kind policy in Australia for the management of Port noise from both individual vessel and landside noise sources. To achieve these objectives, an automated directional noise monitoring system has been implemented to provide real-time measurement and analysis of noise contributions from vessel and landside activities. The system utilizes live data of individual vessel tracking locations, meteorology and an array of 6 direction microphones located around the port infrastructure. This information feeds into a live platform to facilitate management of port noise operations. This paper provides an overview of the Port Noise Policy and the use of unattended directional noise monitoring systems to meet the policy’s aims. Case studies are also provided to illustrate the benefits of real time monitoring systems in pro-actively managing port noise.

A quantified risk-based approach to construction noise and vibration management

The management of environmental noise and vibration impacts from construction activities can significantly influence the scheduling, program, activities, and costs of construction projects. While there are a number of mitigation and management measures available to the construction site to control their environmental impacts upon neighboring sensitive receivers, efforts to reduce impacts should be focused on taking the steps that will result in the greatest reduction to the overall project’s environmental risk profile. In order to identify the countermeasures with the highest efficacy to reduce the overall risk, it is advantageous to quantify noise and vibration impacts based on ordinal metrics such as decibels and degree of annoyance. This paper describes a proposed method to quantify construction noise and vibration risk in order to improve the identification and selection of the countermeasures that should be implemented on site.

Vessel and landside noise contributions from port activities: What does 2 years of data tell us?

Port Authority of NSW has developed a Port Noise Policy for the management of vessel and landside port noise at the port precinct level at Glebe Island and White Bay, Sydney, NSW. The implementation of this policy is currently underway and involves undertaking long term, unattended noise monitoring at multiple locations around the Port using directional sound level meters. Concurrent data for other key variables such as vessel movements and meteorology is also obtained from existing data APIs. This paper provides details around the methodology adopted to extract vessel and landside noise contributions from the broader ambient noise environment for Port activities. Detailed analyses of vessel and landside noise contributions is undertaken in the context of parameters such as vessel parameters and meteorology. The paper provides insights into the role of these variables in the context of measured noise levels and the spatial and temporal variations in noise around the Port.

Comparison of predicted and measured noise levels from major infrastructure construction projects

Urbanization has led to major infrastructure projects increasingly being constructed within heavily populated residential areas. Prediction and management of noise impacts associated with construction works is an increasingly important consideration during both the planning and delivery phase of projects. However, accurate prediction of construction noise is often challenging, due to the dynamic nature of infrastructure construction sites, with a large number of mobile and intermittent noise sources. Particularly during the planning phase, there is typically a lack of detailed information required to support accurate noise modeling. Noise predictions are nevertheless relied upon to inform the project team and surrounding community of the expected noise impact of upcoming works and to determine the most appropriate mitigation and management measures to adopt. In this paper, we compare noise levels predicted using a variety of common methods, with attended and unattended noise monitoring results obtained on a number of recent projects.

Is an exceedance always a non-compliance?

Consider a typical scenario taking place across NSW every day: construction on a major infrastructure project. The contractor has previously assessed the noise impact in a report as required by Regulators. But theactual noise levels exceed the levels in their report. Are they “non-compliant”?Yes, for respite nights when construction noise must not exceed Noise Management Levels (NMLs). By contrast, NMLs can be exceeded on “noisy” nights, but all feasible and reasonable noise mitigation measures must be applied. What is reasonable is related to the predicted level of construction noise—there is an expectation in the community and by regulators that the higher the predicted noise level, the more reasonable it is to implement additional feasible noise mitigation measures. Performance is usually evaluated by monitoring. Monitored noise levels that exceed NMLs, or predicted levels, usually called “exceedances,” can be considered to be non-compliances on “noisy” nights. This approach has some undesirable outcomes, such as encouraging overprediction. A better approach might be to require an evaluation into the reasons why a monitored level is greater than a predicted level, followed by the application of appropriate corrective action. A non-compliance would then only occur if this does not take place.

Application of Noise Control Combined with Relaxation Training in Patients with Skin Laser Cosmetology: A Single-center Retrospective Study.

Noise pollution has been listed as one of the three major types of pollution, along with air and water pollution. Hospitals should pay attention to noise control, which is of great importance for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients. This study focuses on the application value of noise control and relaxation training. This study retrospectively collected and analyzed the clinical data of 184 patients who underwent skin laser cosmetology in Ningbo Yinzhou No. 2 Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022. Twelve patients who did not meet the criteria were excluded, and the remaining 172 patients were divided based on the type of intervention into the control group (CG, n = 82) and the study group (SG, n = 90). The CG received relaxation training and routine noise management, while the SG received noise control combined with relaxation training. The intervention effect was discussed from the aspects of noise, psychology, and satisfaction. After the intervention, the SG had overtly lower noise levels and lower scores of anxiety and depression compared to the CG (all P < 0.001). Correlation analysis showed that noise levels were positively correlated with scores of anxiety and depression (r = 0.553, r = 0.592, P < 0.001). The two groups had no significant difference in total satisfaction (P > 0.05). Noise poses a significant threat to the human body. Strengthening noise control in hospitals is beneficial for patients' recovery. Combining noise control with relaxation training is an intervention method worthy of clinical application. It can improve the hospitalization environment and reduce the noise levels to a great extent, thereby improving the psychological state of patients and enhancing the medical satisfaction.